IDF helps Colombians find safe homes after earthquake

Israeli military engineers have deemed thousands of damaged structures in Colombia safe for reoccupation following a recent earthquake. The IDF delegation, which included over 80 staffers and engineers, has been working in the country to assess buildings affected by the August 10 quake.

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The IDF has assisted many thousands of Colombians to return to hospitals, schools, and hundreds of other structures partially damaged by the August 10 earthquake that Israeli experts have judged as sufficiently safe.

Col. Ehud Moyal, deputy chief of the Colombian delegation, told The Jerusalem Post that initial evaluations have confirmed the stability of hundreds of buildings. He noted that many more structures still require assessment. The IDF has transferred its artificial intelligence and high-tech systems to Colombian authorities to aid in mapping usable structures, identifying those needing demolition, and estimating reconstruction timelines.

Moyal highlighted similarities between the operations in Colombia and a recent mission in Venezuela, though the Colombian team was significantly larger. He also pointed out that despite a more severe disaster in Venezuela, the government there did not request assistance from Israel, unlike Colombia.

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The systems the IDF has provided will facilitate mapping out those structures which might be usable, as well as those that need to be demolished – along with how best to carry out demolition processes – and estimates on how long it could take for replacement structures to be built.

The Israeli systems categorize damaged structures based on severity, allowing for prioritized treatment. Most of the IDF's efforts were concentrated in Cali, a major city, for over ten days. Initial rescue operations focused on extracting survivors from areas where sounds indicated possible survivors. Subsequently, engineers began their structural assessments.

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While the disaster in Venezuela was even larger than the one in Colombia, the government in Caracas did not request a rescue team from Israel, though Colombia did.